Short answer: the SaluSpa Arctic Ice is a 111-gallon inflatable ice bath with rigid drop-stitch walls and a coating made for outdoor winter use, priced at $149.97 when we checked. It needs no power. It is a good match for cold climates, where most inflatables aren’t.
What is drop-stitch construction?
Thousands of threads tie the inner and outer wall together. When you inflate it, the wall becomes a stiff flat panel, not a soft tube. Inflatable paddleboards are built the same way. You can lean on the rim, and the tub keeps its shape when you climb in.
Bestway adds a Polar-Shield coating that it says resists freezing and cracking outdoors. Ordinary vinyl gets brittle in the cold, so this matters if the tub will sit outside all winter.
How much ice does it take?
Cooling 111 gallons from 60°F to 50°F takes roughly 57 lbs of ice, before heat gain. In winter, outdoor water may already be colder than that, and you may need none. That is the appeal of an outdoor-rated tub in a cold place.
Watch for freezing. Our data doesn’t say how the tub handles a solid freeze, so ask Bestway, or drain it before a hard frost.
Where does it go?
It measures 60” x 36” x 28” and weighs 27 lbs dry. One person can carry it. Full, the water weighs about 926 lbs. At 60” long you sit with legs partly extended, more reclined than in a round pod.
What the listing leaves out
- Warranty terms
- A maximum user height
- Whether a lid is included
The price came from Costco, and it varies a lot by retailer and season. Our button goes to the Costco listing. Check a few sellers.
You get, you give up
You get a stiff-walled tub you can store away. You give up a chiller option and the lifespan of a rotomolded tub.
How it compares
The Ice Barrel 500 is rigid, insulated to R-16, and $1,749.99, with a limited lifetime warranty. The Cold Pod is a soft-sided pod at $119.99. All three are in our ice bath comparison. See also Inflatable vs. Rigid Ice Bath.
